Consistency Key As Duggan, Lantis Win Race Series

Tampa's Charlie Duggan and Julie Lantis of Altamonte Springs vaulted into the overall men's and women's Series points lead early in the season and continued to dominate through the rest of the 12-race schedule.

Duggan won six of the 10 races he entered to finish with 640 points. It was his second title in three years.

The Series was completed last Saturday when Orlando's Ed Juba outran a field of 1,500 in the 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) Winter Park Road Race. It was Juba's fourth consecutive overall victory and capped a successful Grand Prix schedule.

Jon Hughes, Series director, said nearly 10,000 runners participated in the events held this season.

John Mirth of Orlando finished second to Duggan in the men's division with 600 points, followed by Juba, who has been unbeatable the last two months, with 570. K.C. Neilsen of Gainesville was fourth overall with 510 points and Dave Walters, last year's Grand Prix winner, was fifth with 440.

Mirth's seasonlong persistence finally paid off. Despite not winning a Grand Prix race, his consistent finishes in the top four helped him build a substantial point total.

Juba, a former Notre Dame runner, participated in seven of the 12 Series events, winning four and finishing second twice.

This was a season of frustration for the normally unflappable Walters. After suffering through an ear infection in November, Walters injured his foot and couldn't run steadily for nearly six weeks.

Lantis, a newcomer to Florida, made a name for herself quickly by winning eight of the 12 races she entered. She only had trouble in the Citrus Bowl Half Marathon. Leg cramps forced her to drop out after eight miles.

Lantis won the women's division handily, finishing with 990 points.

Renee Whitney of Orlando was second with 830 points and Delight Chambers took third with 670. Winter Park's Judy Greer, 40, who was pregnant when she ran her last two Series races, finished fourth with 490 points. Judith Buckley was fifth with 410.

Plans already are under way to improve the Series for next year, Hughes says.

Additional sponsors should mean increased budgets for awards and prizes. Next year's 12-race schedule will be held on similar dates to this season.